Fire-alarm-box attachment.



F. A. DORSEY & M. E. KEYSER.

FIRE ALARM BOX ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION IILED JUNE 10, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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awuentoz P. A. DORSEY & M. E. KEYSER. FIRE ALARM BOX ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909. Y I Tiq- 7 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 tor/n44 46' 1 v 24 5 43 29 4/ 44 7 'u I 2 ,1 43 1 -1: nm N. Hll I P. A. DORSEY & M. E. KEYSER.

FIRE ALARM BOX ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 19oa.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PA TENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK A. DORSEY AND MARY E. KEYSER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

FIRE-ALARM-BOX ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented April 27, 1909.

Application filed June 16, 1908. Serial No. 438,792. X i

' SEY and MARY E. KEYSER, residents of Baltiinore, in the State of Maryland,'have invented certain flew and useful Improvements in Fire-Alarm-Box Attachments; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same. i

This invention relates to fire-alarm-box attachments, and has for its object to provide a device to aid'in ascertaimng the person actuating the alarm with a view to dis-. courage intermeddlers with fire alarm or other signaling devices.

' The invention consists in means for fixing to theperson of one actuating an alarm or signal means, a device whereby he may be discovered as the alarm actuator, and also in the several out. 1 In the... accompanying drawings which illustrate :the invention and form part of the spec1ficat1onFigure 1 is a front elevation of a fire alarm box door with a sleeve inclosmg the box-operating knob or handle; Fig. 2 1s a rear elevation of said door; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the door and sleeve, and of a detached box like part; Fig. 3 is a partial section of a door on said box like part; Fig. 4 is a section on line 4, 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5-.is an elevation of the box like part or cuif" its door being omitted; Fig. 6 is a partial front View enlarged showing a bell stop; Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the cuff on a smaller scale than Fig. 5; .Fig. 8 is a section on line 8, 8 of Fig.' 5; Fig. 9 is a artial elevation showing a holding pawl and adjacent parts; Fig. 10 is a like view of another pawl. Fig. 11 shows a side view of a modified form of cuff applied to an alarm box; Fig. 12 is an end view of a culf detached a part being broken away; Fig. 13is a front view of the cufi and supporting door; Fig.

14 is a partial lon itudina section of one section of the cufl; ig. 15' is a side 'view of a bolt; Fig. 16' shows a part of an alarm box face plate.

Numeral 1 denotes a door for a fire alarm box indicated at 2, and of any usual or 41esired construction, and 3 denotes a key or M spindle journaled in the door, by rotation particulars hereinafter pointed of which key alarm mechanism ofusual or suitable form is put in operation to give-an alarm.

4 denotes a spindle-turning knob. The turning of the knob and spindle to release or actuate the alarm'mechanism in any usual or desired manner, also releases certain spring-actuated lever catches. 5 which nor 7 mally hold a detachable box like device (which we call a cuff or bracelet) 7, and which comprises two movable plates to be described, to a sleeve 6 fixed on the door 1. Said catches 5 are pivoted at'9 in housings 8 fixed preferably to sleeve 6. They are normally held engaged with hooks 1O fixed on the detachable cuff 7, whereby the latter is held in place against the outer end of sleeve 6.

11 denotes springs which engage the ends 12 of the levers 5. These springs are in the present instance made of one lpiece of wire wound about pins 14 or the li e, the outer end of each spring-member being connected to a lever end 12. Each end 12 of the levers is normally held at or near the inner end of a slot 15 in th'door 1 by a hook member 16 fixed to the knob spindle by the medium of a plate 17. A suitable turning of the spindle, as usual in sounding fire alarms, also Withdraws the hooks 16 from the levers whereby the sprin s 11 are left free to dlsengage the lever en s 13 from the hooks 10,

and thus release the cuff 7 from the doo sleeve 6. v

18 denotes a pawl bar pivoted at 19 and ada ted b 21 irom ackward rotation. The pawl is normally yield ngly held in engagement by a spring 23. The which cooperates with a flange 22 on--plate 17 When saidplate is turned by handle 4 the pawl is disen aged from ratchet 21 for a purpose which w1l be described. The pressure of part 22. against flange 22 also nor mally tends to hold hooks 16 engaged. The ratchet wheel 21 is fixed to a shaft 24 which extends through a housing 25, and at its outer or protruding-end has a feather 2'6 adapted to engage a slot 27 on the interior of a spool 28 rotatably su ported in the outer framework or' border o the cuif 7. To each flange of spool 28 is fixed oppositely a chain29 which is extended overa pulley 30 and tlience to a pulley 31. The opposite end of each of said chains is fixed at 32 or 33 to a plate 34 0'135 a tooth 20 to hold a ratchet wheel ever has a bearing end 22 and held from. racks 45.

movablebetween ways 36 on one side, and ways 37 on the other. These plates may comprise each two parts so connected as to form housings for springs, pawls, or the like, as indicated. To each movable plate is secured one end of a spring 38, the other end a being fixed at 39 to the back frame or body portion of the end, as shown. These de scribed connections of chains and springs to the plates and frame respectively are convenient y made by staples 40.

The movable plates 34 and 35 are each provided with guiding pulleys 41 running on the respective Ways or. tracks 36 or 37. Said plates are each hollowed out at 42 and provided with a lining or other suitable wristengaging surface 43. The lates are moved apart to set the device by winding the chains 29 on s 001 28 by means of a key a lied to one en of shaft 24 or in other suitable manner. This winding of the chains puts under tension the springs 38, while it separates the plates 34 and 35 to provide for the insertion of the hand between them to reach the fire alarm knob or handle 4. The plates are held apart against thepull of springs 38 by the medium of the chains and chain spool, which latter is normally held by ratchet 21 and the pawl tooth 20, as above described.

To set the device for use the plates are separated by winding the chains on spool 28, the

holding pawls 44, pivotally connected to the plates 34, 35, having first been disengaged These pawls,

pressed by springs 46, are adapted when the cuff plates are closed to engage the racks. This prevents the separation of the plates and release of a wrist that may have been caught between them by the described effect of the actuation of the fire alarm knob. The said dplates can be withdrawn or so arated by ban the door 47 having been un ocked and opened to give access to the pawls 44, which can-also be released by hand, as in setting the device. 48 denotes a lock for said door 47, a sfiitable key or keys for which can be put in c arge of firemen or policemen or of both.

It will be understood that the turning of,

the fire alarm knob releases or operates the alarm mechanism (not shown) and simultaneously relieves the ratchet wheel 21 and spool 28 from the pawl 20 whereby springs 38 are free to close the plates 34, 35, on the wrist of the erson turning in the alarm, said plates being held closed as stated by awls '44, and

it also simultaneously releases t e cuff 7 from the sleeve 6, so that the cuff is carried on said ersons wrist until removed b lzed officer having a key to un ock door 47. The release of the ratchet which normally holds the chain spool, and the consequent release of the plate-closing s rings, also ermits the sounding of a cu carried bel 49 (preferably a spring actuated bell) which is normally held inactive when the device is an authorset, by a stop 50 pivoted at 51, and at 52 is adapted to bear by one end against the plate 35, and by its other end against an extension 49 of the bell clapper holding it from actuation. The bell is freed from the restraint of said stop, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 6, when plate 35 closes on the wrist, and sound to call attention of whom it may concern. The usual speedy ap )earance of firemen and policemen will enab e the speedy release of any person lawfully sounding the fire alarm, or the arrest of any mischievous or criminal meddler, thus marked out.

.53 denotes a key for winding the actuating spring of the cuff-alarm;

Mere mechanical changes which do not substantially alter the purpose of the herein described devices, nor materially depart from the principles of operation and 0011- struction set forth, may be made without departure from the invention, which comprises means for automatically fixing a mark or device to a person turning in or causing the actuation of an alarm or signal means. For example, the invention is not limited to a knob such as indicated, and is in dependent of any particular form of knob, key or handle, and also of any particular means for sending an alarm or otherwise signaling or of arousing attention. Theycufl (so called) or its equivalent may be made as small and light as consistent with the main object of the de- Vice, and preferably aluminum, wood, condensed paper, or fiber board, or the like, will be used as found most suitable by skilled mechanics. The cuff in the instance illustrated has a base or support of box like form provided with a door and means for locking the same to prevent meddling with the contained parts of the device. Said box maybe attached to any suitable alarm or indicating mechanism, in substantially the manner described, and may be provided in numbers for attachment by doors 1 to receptacles of standard size.

On the door 47 over a hand hole 54 is fixed a chamber or extension 55 of metal and hav ing a hand hole which registers with hole 54 and with the opening between plates 34 and 35. Fixed between parts 47 and 55 is a sleeve 56 and in the sleeve is a yielding or elastic closure 57, which may be of rubber, arid is shown of an hour-glass shape. A persons hand can be pushed through this elastic device to reach the alarm knob. It serves to exclude water, dirt, etc. from the cuff. It also steadies the cuff on the wrist and relieves theweight or strainon plates 34 and 35, and it prevents convenient insertion and man-i ulation of a tool to operate the alarm knob. The construction of this elastic protecting closure can be varied.

In practice the combined thickness of box 7 and extension 49 may conveniently be from two to three inches.

65 cuff is locked to the wrist. The same'move- When the cuff is on a wrist door' 47 may be unlocked by an officer with a key for lock 48, and the door opened a little to give access to pawls 44 to release them. Evidently means may be provided for disengaging said pawls without ening the door.

In Fig. 11, 2 enotes an alarm box, with a pull 58 (such as used in Gamewell boxes, for example). 59 is a casing and. 60 a door therem, normally locked. It has a circular opening into which fits a removable cuff dev1ce in the formof a funnel, having two sections 61, 62, preferably overlapping. At the large ends the sections are hinged to a plate 63 at 64 and 65. Said plate 63 has a and hole which, together with the funnel,

is in front of an alarm operating knob 4 sei cured to a spindle 66 having arms 67 which rest against the face plate of the alarm box. v68 1s a spring tending to move the spindle inward. When the handle is turned until lugs 67 reach notches 69 the s ring suddenly moves the spindle inward with the effect to, move rods 70 to the left. The outer ends of these rods are supported in brackets, and 7 when the device is set stand behind lugs 71 on bolts which engage the cuff and lock it in the position shown in Fig. 11. 72 denote springs for withdrawing the bolts when the latter are free to move. 55 denotes a chamber over the opening in plate 63 having an elastic closing device 57 substantially like that above described. Part 55 is hinged to plate 63 and has a key hole 73 whereby an officer having a key can unlock it when desired. The same key may fit holes'74 so that in settlng the device the bolts may be keyoperated to lock in the cuff. 75 are springs pressmg yokes 76 against the'cuff. 77 denotes rods also connected to s indle 66 to be withdrawn with the latter. They ass into the cuff and control lockin devices for fixing the cuff on a Wrist. As il ustrated such devlces comprise springs 78 secured to the upper section and having each a locking pin 79 adapted when released to enter a registe'rin hole irrthe outer section which has severa sockets one or another of which will be brought in line with pin 79 as the cuff sectlons move to adjust themselves to a wrist. 8O denotes a bolt 01'' wedge which when the device 1s set stands behind springs 78 holding the pins withdrawn and the cuff sections free to move on their hinges 64, 65. Spindle 66 has an armwith a loose connection, as by means of an elongated slot, with a connecting device 82 suspended from pull 58. When a hand is inserted and the handle turned the spindle arm and part 82 do not operate the alarm box pall58 to send an alarm until just as lugs 67 reach notches 69 .and spring 68. operates the spindle toldraw rods 77 and bolts 80, allowing springs 78 tocarry pins 79 into sockets in ,the outer section whereby the ment of the spindle draws rods from stops 71 and the springs 72 draw their bolts and release the cuff from the casing door. An oflicer with a key for hole 7 3 can reach pins 79 to unlock the sections to permit withdrawal of the locked hand. The devices for locking thecuif sections, and devices for releasing the cuff may be varied without dearting from the invention. Within the arge end of the cuff we'mount an audible alarm device, preferably a spring operated bell 49 The bell is normaIiyheld-from action', for example, by an extension 4.9 of-the bell hammer, said extension resting against spring 78 until the latter is released and moves inward when'the hammer is free to vibrate.

Having thus described the invention what we claim is I 1. The combination of an operating means for use with alarm devices, an open wristinclosing mechanism, connections whereby said mechanism is closed upon the wrist of a person actuating the operating means, and an elastic closure normally closing'the entrance'to said mechanism adapted to admit a hand.

2. The combination with an alarm box comprising signal-sending mechanism, a door closing the alarm box, means for. operating the signal-sending mechanism accessible on the outside of the door, of an inclosure for said means having an opening in the front thereof, and a detachable wrist-grasping cuff device comprising means normally closing said 0 ening. T

3. he combination of an alarm-sending key or handle, an inclosure therefor, a wrist- I grasping cuff, and a normally locked plate in front ofthe wrist-grasping portion and having a hand opening. 7

4. The combination with an alarm box and means for sending an alarm, of an inclosure for said means, a Wrist-gras ing cuff, locking devices normally securing tlie cuff to the alarm box, springs tending to disengage said locking devices, and means for releasing said locking devices actuated by operation of said means for sendingan alarm.

5. The combination of an'alarm operating 11 means, a cuff for thewrist of a person actuating said means, ahousing to which the end is normally connected, devices intermediate said operating means and cufi whereby manipulating the former causes the cufi to be fixed upon the wrist of the manipulator, and an alarm mechanism carried by the cuff.

6. The combination of adevice for operatingan alarmsmechanism, a door for a boxism the end of said sleeve directly in front of said handle being open, a cufl supported on such open end of said sleeve, and mechanism 1 5 v and said parts whereby the manipulation of whereby the manipulation of the handle fixes the cufl upon the wristof the manipulator. 7. The combination of a handle or key for causing the actuation of an alarm mechanism,

with an indicating device comprising a detachab1e cuff, and a distinct alarm device matically cover and anopening for the admission of a hand and Wrist, a lock for the, cover, means for. connecting the box to the support of an alarm key or handle, Wrist-inclosing parts Within the box, connections between said key the key fixes the parts on the wrist of the key manipulator.

9. he combination with an alarm box and a device for operating the same, of a detachable cufl, means for fixing it to a user, and an elastic closure over the entrance to such cuff.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscrib- 25 .ing Witnesses.

FREDERICK A. DORSEY. MARY E. KEYSER.

Witnesses: H. L. FRANC, C; M. OATL'IN. 

